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10 thoughts on “Are there any surviving Tudor gowns or men’s clothing? For Italian Renaissance Fashion, Elenor of Toledo’s burial gown and one of her red dresses are in museums, but I have seen nothing else.”

It seems only fair that anyone owning any clothing of Queen Elizabeth the First should donate them to a museum so others could have a chance to see them. Have any of these clothes ever been photographed for the public at least ? for books ?

Lori ,I asked the same Qs, to Claire and what they had were Elizabeths1 Gloves which are on display,I have a remake of the De’Toledo burial gown,which was designed before she died,but she loved the gown so much that she requested to be buried in that gown a ,truely lovely gown.I have pictures of my De’Toledo when I change my picture on the site, I will post that one for you to see. Baroness x

lori,Heres somemore info ,Eleanore ‘di Toledo was the Duchess of Florence,the gown was designed by her 1539 to1562 and she loved the gown so much ,yes she was buired in it,but the original gown is nothing but fragments and it was made by her, but not as a burial gown,she requested to be laid to rest in that gown when she died in1562.If you want more info go to a great ,Fashion Historian,Janet Arnold and she can give any and all info on the Tudor Fashion and if they have any of them on display,how ever i dout it as it’s been so long ago that they would be fragments as well. Hope that helps. Kind Regards Baroness x

It is rare for items from the early C16th to survive (most documented survivals are continental grave clothing – see various books and articles by Janet Arnold) as much clothing was passed on or remodelled to keep up with fashions. In addition, one must always treat with caution items said to belong to significant people – some are genuine with good provenance, others are plainly spurious or wishful thinking on the part of someone some years after the event. However, there are a reasonable number of survivals from the latter part of the C16th scattered across various museums and stately homes in the UK and the Met in New York has a small number of non-clerical items of C16th clothing in their collection. A research appointment made with the V&A in London to view some of their archived costumes and textiles can prove extremely interesting!

I can think of a pair of shoes in a museum said to belong to ERI – they could not have done as the design is late C17th/early C18th! There is also a very obvious C17th smock in a collection, said to have belonged to Mary Queen of Scots. As she was executed in 1587, it couldn’t have been hers! There is also the embroidered coif said to belong to Anne Boleyn as well – again wishful thinking on someone’s part, as the design and embroidered decoration is early C17th!

Many of Elizabeth I dresses were given to other royalty over the world then as they wore out they have been cut up and used in other things. There have been panels of Elizabeths dresses located in countries such as Belguim and India as presents of the Queen. No complete dress worn by Elizabeth has ever survived, they have always been used in something else and redyed etc. It is a real shame

How amazing it would be if any of Elizabeth I’s saddles survived – leather – you would think it possible….Conjures images of Dudley and Elizabeth galloping thru the English hills leaving their frustrated chaperones and ambitious courtiers behind….that is museum worthy…